Tesla Roadtrip to Green Drive Expo for longest drive
Kimberly Pohl -
DAILYHERALD - July 5, 2010
Many cars around the country will be making this trek soon. This is one of the Tesla Roadsters that will be displayed. The treat will be talking to the owner about "what it's like!" --Ed.
Carl Walters is loving retired life in the fast lane.
Every day, the 75-year-old Palatine man dons a black driving cap and a wide smile while managing a controlled fall into his deep-seated 2010 Tesla Roadster convertible.
The all-electric sports car - which comes with a base price of $109,000 - combines his "lifelong love affair with electricity," a concern for the environment, and a beautiful toy that accelerates from 0 to 60 mph in 3.9 seconds.
Walters will embark on his longest journey yet when he heads up to the fifth annual Green Drive Expo July 17-18 in Madison, Wis., where he's sure to have one of the more eye-catching vehicles. He'll easily make the 125-mile trip without having to plug in and recharge.
"It's partly about wanting to save the planet for future generations and partly about having a lot of fun," Walters said. "Some critics say plugging in requires coal fire plants, but it's a heck of a lot greener than something that belches carbon dioxide out the end."
Walters first spotted the Tesla on a clip of "Jay Leno's Garage" on TV in June 2008 and promptly flew out to California to buy one with custom features including electric-blue paint, black rims and a plastic armor coating that doesn't chip.
Fourteen months later, crews delivered Walters' Tesla, which gets about 245 miles per charge. He's been trying not to speed and hitting local green gatherings ever since, including membership in the Fox Valley Electric Auto Association.
According to the car's computer, a recent trip to Lake Geneva cost him just $5.18 based on ComEd's rate of 10 cents per kilowatt hour. He also received a $7,500 rebate from the federal government for driving a green car....
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